


Circus Celebration

by Burgie



Series: SSO Medieval AU [28]
Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 11:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13213002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: A new form of entertainment appears in Jorvik, so Dorian goes to investigate. Dorian belongs to rebecawolfforest on tumblr.





	Circus Celebration

For days now, the village of Valedale had been buzzing with the news that a curious ‘circus’ of sorts had come to town, full of entertaining bards and animals and jesters. Even a few fools. Dorian rarely ventured outside his cottage, but, on a trip to the market to sell some eggs and buy some more food for himself and his animals, he overheard some of the market women gossiping. It was hard not to, given the loud volume with which they talked.

“Have you heard about the circus?” one woman asked another, leaning quite close to Dorian as he stood at a counter, fiddling with his braid as he patiently waited for the market stall owner to count out his coins.

“Oh, yes, I’m planning on taking my family there,” said the other woman with a grin. “The children will love the animals and the jesters, and I’ve heard that the bards play the loveliest music.”

“Ohoho, don’t let your husband hear that,” said the first woman, and they both burst into raucous laughter that made Dorian wish to plug his ears up with the corn that he could see in a nearby market stall.

Still, as Dorian rode his buckskin pinto back to his cottage, sacks of grain and food resting on his horse’s large rump, he couldn’t help but think about that circus. It sounded good, from what he’d heard, and there were animals, which were always good. So long as they were treated well, he knew that some people did not treat performing animals very well at all. Never in Valedale, though, for Duke Jack had established several laws that forbade performing animals unless they were well cared-for.

The circus was still on Dorian’s mind as he put his food away and refilled food and water dishes for the birds. Maybe he should go, or at least find out more about it. It might be a little crowded, but he could just become one with the shadows, in a sense, and not draw any unwanted attention to himself.

His mind made up, Dorian set out that night in the direction of the village, hoping to find out, at the very least, where the circus was. He would go into a tavern if he had to. But as it turned out, Dorian did not have to brave the noisy, smelly, crowded tavern, as there were plenty of people in the town square between the inn and the stables gossiping about the circus.

From them, Dorian learned that the circus had been set up on Nilmer’s Highland, a place atop a steep hill just outside of Moorland and between it and Silverglade Village. A group was heading there, so Dorian drew his brown cloak tighter around himself to protect against the chill and followed the group, staying at the back of it so as to avoid being seen.

It was quite a long ride, as the group had to pass through Silverglade Village (and many peeled off to visit the market stalls or stables there, some from Silverglade Village also joined their group), but finally, Dorian could see a large, red and yellow striped tent rising in the distance. It looked very much like a pavilion, only more circular. Multiple torches had been erected around it to light the place up, and a large bonfire burned out the front of the tent. There were already people there.

Looking around in amazement, Dorian dismounted his horse, leaving it tied to a designated spot for horses away from the crowd, and followed a trail of people up to a stall where a short, squat man stood on several crates, taking coins in exchange for pieces of paper. This paper, Dorian quickly learned, was his ticket to the circus, enabling him entry. It cost quite a few star coins, and he blinked in surprise at the price, but the small man assured him that the ticket would last until the circus vanished. Dorian smiled at the thought. He could come back to the circus whenever he wished.

Inside the tent was even more magical than the outside. Hooded figures guided the circus-goers to their seats, and Dorian followed someone along a small wooden floor until he finally was able to sit down and take in the view. And the view from up here truly was great- many people sat in these seats, he could see many happy faces. And he could smell popcorn and candy apples and sawdust. He could also smell animals, and he smiled at the thought of them performing.

At last, the audience was all seated and the flames surrounding the arena were doused. There was only a shaft of moonlight falling through a hole in the middle of the tent, the rest of the tent plunged into the soft blue of a night illuminated by stars. Into the moonlight stepped a man, and a hushed gasp went around the room. This was a magician, one that had been rumoured to be friends (or more) with Duke Jack.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” said the magician. “And others. Welcome, one and all, to the great circus. Prepare to be amazed.” He raised his hands up, and sparks flew from no discernible source. The crowd gasped, even as the torches relit. Dorian marvelled at the feats of magic, even as he wondered how the magician had been able to do that.

The first few acts were largely human-oriented, full of tumblers and jesters and acrobats and fools. Dorian applauded along with the rest of the audience, though his wandering eyes could not help but notice that the magician now sat beside the duke in a ringside seat, his hand on the duke’s knee. Deciding that the duke needed his privacy, Dorian looked back at the performers. He laughed along with the rest of the audience at the fools, speaking to their sceptres and acting out dramatic stories with humorous twists. There were even a few bawdier comedies that had parents clapping hands over their children’s eyes and ears.

The bards came next, singing sweet songs to bridge the gap as the performers left and more people arrived at the back of the tent. The crowd cooed over the horses that were rode in, elegant Arabians and ponies that had people on their backs dancing and performing all kinds of acrobatic feats. Some only stood, while others stood on their hands or even performed backflips that had the crowd gasping. But not one of them fell. One woman even stood on her hands, holding a bow and arrow in her feet, and shot an arrow that hit a target on the middle pole, causing shiny paper to fall from somewhere high above. It rained down on the performers, to much cheers and whoops of delight.

And then, finally, the last of the horse performers cantered out of the ring and the first animal entered. Dorian couldn’t help but gasp at the exotic creatures he beheld- large cats with fluffy manes, other large cats with stripes like an oversized tabby, even some large, leathery creatures with massive feet. Some in the audience were scared, but Dorian was just fascinated, having never seen or heard of any of these creatures before. The largest animal he’d ever seen, other than his horse, was a wolf or a bear. These animals snarled like wolves sometimes, but their roars were louder than any bears, and caused many members of the audience to cry out in fear. Some children began crying, but Dorian was not afraid. No, he was only fascinated.

The animal acts were the conclusion of the show, and the magician reappeared in that shaft of moonlight again, this time standing on a kind of podium.

“I hope that you all enjoyed the show,” said the magician, smiling out at the crowd. “And that you all come again soon, for this magic may be wonderful but it will be fleeting. Goodnight, citizens of Jorvik.” And he tipped his hat down over his eyes, bowed, and was gone.

Dorian’s mind still spun as he rode his horse home that night, having finally managed to drag himself away with the memory of the animals that he had to get up and feed in the morning. And with the knowledge that the circus would be there again tomorrow. He would definitely return, if only to see the wonder and magic again. It was not like his magic, no, this magic was all about show and theatre, and about dazzling the audience. He wanted to be dazzled again.

That night, acrobats tumbled through his dreams, chased by the magnificent beasts that he’d beheld that very night.


End file.
